When I use to use just the 50/50 mix,
vermiculite and peat moss, I noticed there wasn't a very strong mycelium network woven into the casing soil. They fell over quite often when they got to large. Since I added in the dehydrated lime and crushed oyster shell tot the mix, making the 50/50+ mix, everything changed. Not only were the mushrooms growing large and holding their weight just fine, they also produced much stronger mycelium networks through the casing soil and produced much better flushes.

Also you have a pretty thin casing layer. 1/4" to 1/2" is not much at all. I generally use 1/2" to 3/4", sometimes deeper.

-peace-

Thanks for the advice. I was using the Hoffmann vermiculite and found that the stores no longer had this so I had to go with the Shultz (spell ?) at Walmart. This was not as fine.
I'll check your site on the lime and crushed oyster shell to be mixed in with the 50:50.
I tried to avoid the Peat Moss to prevent any contamination. I did not sterilize the vermiculite on the 2nd casing on the 1st run that I made and noticed no contamination. On the 2nd run, I did not sterilize at all and noticed no contamination either.
One thing I found was, that if I sterilized the casing, even on using the 50:50 mix (on other cubes grown), the saturation level drops. What I mean is that if you saturate the casing layer and autoclave it, it seems on the dry side on going to use it. Of course the answer would be to wet it on casing.
Thanks again for the advice on this.

Joe